REDS Drop Second Straight
(HALIFAX, NS) The Dalhousie Tigers beat the UNB REDS 3-1, at the Dalplex in Halifax, on Sunday afternoon.
This was the second game of the weekend between the Tigers and REDS. The Tigers won Saturday's contest 3-0.
"Dal is a solid team that is well coached and quite a bit bigger than us," said REDS head coach Richard Schick. "They do a good job of forcing you to play the ball under pressure and in difficult circumstances and situations."
The REDS opened with a hot start and scored five unanswered points in the beginning of the first set.
At the core of the UNB offence were Alia Nielsen (Morrin, AB), Emma Burns (Fredericton, NB) and Lydia Green (Bedford, NS), who secured the REDS a 16-7 lead at the technical timeout.
The Reds remained in top form after the break and won the first set 25-9.
The Tigers came out energized from the set change with Brett Boldon (Fredericton, NB) picking up an ace. She also dove to save shots that set up kills for Sarah Dawe (Mount Pearl, NL) Julie Moore (Halifax, NS) and Myriam Arseneau (Ottawa, ON).
The Tigers offence held strong and led the second set 16-12 at the technical timeout.
Grace Calnan (Dartmouth, NS) and Victoria Turcot (Halifax, NS) prevented the REDS from mounting a comeback by providing crucial offence at the net which pushed the Tigers ahead late in the set, and Dal won 25-18.
Relying on their fearless libero Katelyn Chapman (Indian Mountain, NB), the UNB offence was in rhythm through the first few points of the third set. However, Calnan came up big for the Tigers with a huge block that shifted the momentum in Dal's favour.
The teams broke for the technical timeout of the third set when Moore served an ace that gave Dal a 16-8 lead.
The scoring would continue for Dalhousie due to an excellent serving performance from Moore and creative shot making from Boldon and Dawe. Dalhousie's Charlotte Arsenault (Ottawa, ON) stepped in to serve for the set point and the Tigers promptly closed the third set 25-14.
The fourth set was a tight offensive battle that saw Turcot and Boldon driving the Dal offence, and Kristen Burns (Mississauga, ON) and Nielsen doing the same for UNB.
The Tigers offence did not let up, and Boldon continued a phenomenal outing for Dalhousie. The Tigers won the fourth set 25-17 and the match 3-1.
"Our young team is beginning to understand the level of play needed to compete at the U SPORTS level," said Schick. "At times this weekend, we were a team that showed the grit, fight, skill and focus to play very good volleyball. I'm happy with the strides forward our group has made in regards to the discipline required and in trusting what we as coaches have tried to change and introduce to their individual and team game."
Boldon, with 33 assists, four digs, two aces and a kill, was named Subway Player of the Game.
The REDS now return home to face Memorial in a weekend series, November 5th, 6th and 7th, while the Tigers take on Acadia, on Saturday.
RECAP BY: Daniel Simpkin/for Dal Athletics
PHOTOS BY: Chelsea Norris/Dal Athletics